The nine Worthies of London Explayning the honourable exercise of Armes, the uertues of the valiant, and the memorable attempts of magnanimious minds. Pleasant for Gentlemen, not vnseemly for Magistrates, and most profitable for Prentises. Compiled by Richard Iohnson |
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 | The nine Worthies of London |  |
Sir Iohn Bonham knight.
Let
them that pull their quils from Griffons wings,
And dippe them in the bloud of Pagans bane,
Let them describe me from the brest that sings,
A Poem of bloudie showers of raigne:
And in my tale a mournefull Eleagie,
To such as do the lawes of God denie.
And dippe them in the bloud of Pagans bane,
Let them describe me from the brest that sings,
A Poem of bloudie showers of raigne:
And in my tale a mournefull Eleagie,
To such as do the lawes of God denie.
A gentleman I am of gentle blood,
A Knight my Father was, yet thought no scorne
To place his sonne within a prentise hood,
For nature will appeare as she was borne:
A Deuonshire man to London loe I came,
To learne to traffique of a Marchant man.
A Knight my Father was, yet thought no scorne
To place his sonne within a prentise hood,
For nature will appeare as she was borne:
A Deuonshire man to London loe I came,
To learne to traffique of a Marchant man.
Shortelie from thence to Denmarke was I bound,
Well shipt with ware my master gaue in charge,
I deemd the water better then the ground,
And on the seas a man might see at large:
Me thought that Fortune there might flie her fill,
And pitch and light vpon what place she will.
Well shipt with ware my master gaue in charge,
I deemd the water better then the ground,
And on the seas a man might see at large:
Me thought that Fortune there might flie her fill,
And pitch and light vpon what place she will.
Ariud at last, in Denmarke was I sett,
Where Bonham did demeane himselfe so well,
That though some strangers there had pitcht a nett
To catch my feete, themselues therein soone fell:
And such dishonour dropt vpon their head,
As they their natiue Countrie quicklie fled.
Where Bonham did demeane himselfe so well,
That though some strangers there had pitcht a nett
To catch my feete, themselues therein soone fell:
And such dishonour dropt vpon their head,
As they their natiue Countrie quicklie fled.
My worthlesse Fame vnto the King was brought,
Who shewd himselfe both mild and debonare,
A cause of gracious kindnes still he sought,
And for my Countrey did commend my care:
And though I say it, that might better cease,
Bonham did purchase fame, and loues encrease.
Who shewd himselfe both mild and debonare,
And for my Countrey did commend my care:
And though I say it, that might better cease,
Bonham did purchase fame, and loues encrease.
A vertuous Ladie, and a curteous prince,
This famous king vnto his daughter had,
Hir countenance did the baser sort conuince,
Yet did she bare her gently to bad:
Such was her beautie, such was her grace and fauour,
That watchfull Enuy no way could depraue her.
This famous king vnto his daughter had,
Hir countenance did the baser sort conuince,
Yet did she bare her gently to bad:
Such was her beautie, such was her grace and fauour,
That watchfull Enuy no way could depraue her.
Excepting still the praise of Proserpine,
I may a little glance vpon her grace,
The words shee spake did euer seeme diuine,
And Nature chose her alters in her face:
Where in the day her golden flames do burne,
And they that gaze shall frie except they turne.
I may a little glance vpon her grace,
The words shee spake did euer seeme diuine,
And Nature chose her alters in her face:
Where in the day her golden flames do burne,
And they that gaze shall frie except they turne.
There bodies once consum'd, loue tooke their soules,
And there satte binding them within her haire,
She neede not frowne, her smoothest lookes controles,
See how shee slayes, yet dooth the guiltlesse spare:
Guiltlesse they are that dare not stay so long,
To heare the musick of inchaunting song.
And there satte binding them within her haire,
She neede not frowne, her smoothest lookes controles,
See how shee slayes, yet dooth the guiltlesse spare:
Guiltlesse they are that dare not stay so long,
To heare the musick of inchaunting song.
Should I but speake the words vnto her face,
Perhaps you would suppose I flatter her,
If so I haue too long vpheld the chace,
And negligentlie spard the pricking spurre:
In whose sweete praise I end not yet begunne,
Because my lame conceipt wants feete to runne.
Perhaps you would suppose I flatter her,
If so I haue too long vpheld the chace,
And negligentlie spard the pricking spurre:
In whose sweete praise I end not yet begunne,
Because my lame conceipt wants feete to runne.
Who will not iudge the brauest Denmarke Knights,
Will cracke their Lances in her proud defence,
And now by this a troope of worthie wights
Prepared Iustes, her beawtie to incence:
And vnto me vnworthie me she gaue,
A fauour to adorne my courage braue.
Will cracke their Lances in her proud defence,
And now by this a troope of worthie wights
Prepared Iustes, her beawtie to incence:
A fauour to adorne my courage braue.
I know your ielouslie will iudge me nowe,
And say I prais'd her for her fauours sake,
Alas he lookes not vp, is bound to bowe,
A Ceader neuer springeth from a Brake:
It pleasd her well, age not displeased mee,
Why then should Enuie still with Honour bee.
And say I prais'd her for her fauours sake,
Alas he lookes not vp, is bound to bowe,
A Ceader neuer springeth from a Brake:
It pleasd her well, age not displeased mee,
Why then should Enuie still with Honour bee.
They that haue guiders cannot chuse but runne,
Their Mistresse eyes doe learne them Chiualrie,
With those commaunds these Turneys are begunne,
And shiuerd Launces in the ayre do flie:
No more but this, there Bonham had the best,
Yet list I not to vaunt how I was blest.
Their Mistresse eyes doe learne them Chiualrie,
With those commaunds these Turneys are begunne,
And shiuerd Launces in the ayre do flie:
No more but this, there Bonham had the best,
Yet list I not to vaunt how I was blest.
Each Knight had fauour bound to his desart,
And euerie Ladie lent her loue a smile,
There boldly did I not my selfe insert,
Nor secret practise did my pride compile:
But of her selfe the gentle Princesse gaue
Rewarde of Honour vnto me her slaue.
And euerie Ladie lent her loue a smile,
There boldly did I not my selfe insert,
Nor secret practise did my pride compile:
But of her selfe the gentle Princesse gaue
Rewarde of Honour vnto me her slaue.
In fine my Masters shippe with goods were fraught,
And I desirous to returne agayne,
For all the fauours that my Fortune wrought,
Vnto my Masters businesse was no mayne:
But so occasion trusty friend to time,
Prepard me steps, and made mee way to clime.
And I desirous to returne agayne,
For all the fauours that my Fortune wrought,
Vnto my Masters businesse was no mayne:
But so occasion trusty friend to time,
Prepard me steps, and made mee way to clime.
Great Solimon the Turkish Emperor,
Made sodaine warres against the Danish King,
And most vnlike a noble Emperour
Did spoyle and ruine to his confines bring:
A thing vnlike, yet truth to witnesse call,
And you shall finde hee made mee Generall.
Made sodaine warres against the Danish King,
And most vnlike a noble Emperour
Did spoyle and ruine to his confines bring:
A thing vnlike, yet truth to witnesse call,
And you shall finde hee made mee Generall.
A puissant armie then was leuied straight,
And skilfull pilats sent to guide my ship,
Imagin but a Christians deadly hate,
Against the heathen that our blood doth sip:
Then thinke how Bonham bent against the Turke,
Wrought wonders by the high almighties worke.
And skilfull pilats sent to guide my ship,
Imagin but a Christians deadly hate,
Against the heathen that our blood doth sip:
Then thinke how Bonham bent against the Turke,
Wrought wonders by the high almighties worke.
Halfe of his armie smouldred with the dust,
Lay slaughtred on the earth in gorie blood,
And he himselfe compeld to quell his lust,
By composition for his peoples good:
Then at a parlie he admirde me so,
He made me knight, and let his armie go.
Lay slaughtred on the earth in gorie blood,
And he himselfe compeld to quell his lust,
By composition for his peoples good:
Then at a parlie he admirde me so,
He made me knight, and let his armie go.
He gaue me costly robes, and chaines of golde,
And garded with his Gallies sent me backe:
For Fame vnto the Danish King had tolde,
My gotten glorie, and the Turkish wracke:
He gaue me gifts in guerdon of my fight,
And sent me into England like a knight.
And garded with his Gallies sent me backe:
For Fame vnto the Danish King had tolde,
My gotten glorie, and the Turkish wracke:
He gaue me gifts in guerdon of my fight,
And sent me into England like a knight.
How I was welcomd there t'were vaine to tell,
For shortly after life had runne his race,
And hither was I summoned to dwell,
My other fellow Worthies to embrace:
Thus gently borne, a Marchant by my trade,
And in the field Bonham a knight was made.
For shortly after life had runne his race,
And hither was I summoned to dwell,
My other fellow Worthies to embrace:
Thus gently borne, a Marchant by my trade,
And in the field Bonham a knight was made.
| The nine Worthies of London | |